by Box Set
“Why’s that?”
She patted me on the back in a consoling way. “Has it been that long since you’ve had a hot, sweaty, sex marathon?” My face must have said it all. “Oh, honey, you’re in for a treat.”
“Now you’re scaring me.”
Misty scooped muffin batter and plopped it into paper cups. “If I could be so lucky.” She pushed the full tray into the preheated oven. “Hey, I’m kind of sweet on that drummer of his. Can you hook a girl up?”
“Titan? You like Brett Titan?” I couldn’t see the attraction myself, but then, I only had eyes for Beau. “He’s so inked and grungy and—”
“Sexy?” She grabbed the cookie dough and started scooping it onto prepped trays. “That man makes me wet.”
“Oh, don’t tell me that.” I pulled the muffins Misty had already made from the cooling racks and began to stock the shelves. “Beau asked me to move to California with him.”
It took a lot to stop Misty. She was a twirling tornado of energy. Her boobs weren’t flat because of her kids. Her boobs were flat because she lived off a cookie and a gallon of coffee a day, but she stopped dead in her path. “Oh, my God,” she squealed. “And?” She bounced on the balls of her feet.
“There’s a lot to consider.” Indecision coiled inside of me like a spring. I wished the answer could be as easy as saying yes, but it wasn’t.
“You have to say yes. If not for you, then say yes for me. I’ve got vacation in July, and I’m so getting screwed by Brett Titan.”
When we opened the doors, the shop smelled of chocolate, and coffee, and possibility. Tonight, I’d lie in Beau’s arms. It could be the first day of my forever.
Scott from Alliance brought my keys just before three. A minute later, I raced from the building and straight to my car. It was a short drive, but the snow was coming down hard and fast. The roads were covered and slick all the way home. Once there, I ran into the house and was plummeted straight into Hell.
Water seeping under the door should have been my first clue. Standing in the entry, I watched the water run down the walls.
The pipes must have frozen and burst, and today’s higher temperatures had allowed the water to flow freely. Cornflower blue paint peeled from the walls. The sofa my parents picked out years ago was the color of mud instead of sand. Dad’s old, wooden radio console and rocking chair sat in two inches of water. The wood had swelled, and the thin layer of laminate peeled like sunburned skin. Not even the record player was spared. A drip from the ceiling splashed across the black vinyl record that had been played just the other night. That particular Bing Crosby album would be forever silenced.
Forced into action, I dashed to the basement and shut off the water to the house. Inches covered the cement floor. Cardboard boxes collapsed around their contents. On my knees, I searched for salvageable items. Everything was soaked. Very little survived. How was I going to explain this to Mom?
With my heart in my throat, I called Beau. As soon as he heard my tears, he told me he was on his way. Everything from walls to carpet would have to be removed and replaced. Both the house and my mom would be gutted.
Chapter 18
Beau
The distress in her voice caused my heart to rattle in its cage. It reminded me of the day I’d told her I wasn’t coming back to Bell Mountain. Pure panic pulsed through me. I didn’t waste any time. With my keys in my hand, I was in the car before I could say, “I’m on my way.”
Hell bent on rescuing Mandy, I flung the door open without care. My girl was sitting in the center of a soppy room with her head in her hands and sobs racking her body. I slid to my knees in front of her. My blue jeans soaked up the water beneath me. “It’s okay, it’s just water.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s more than that. This house is my mom’s life.”
“No, baby. This house is just where she lives. You and Tommy are her life.”
“No, you’re wrong.” Her breath was choppy. “What am I going to do when she walks in tonight?”
“Hug her. It’s not the end of the world.” I looked around the room and wondered if I were right. Annie clung to her past because that’s where Mandy’s father remained.
“I have to call her and prepare her. She can’t walk into this without warning. She can’t stay here tonight. It’s a mess.” She rubbed at her red swollen eyes.
“We have room across the street.” I lifted her to her feet and watched as sadness filled her. “I can call her for you?”
She collapsed against my chest. “No, but can you stay while I talk to her?”
“I already told you, I’m never leaving you.”
She plucked at the numbers on her cell phone and became as taut as a guitar string the minute her mother answered the phone.
There were no niceties—no happy greetings. No…Mandy approached the conversation like a worn-out doctor. No minced words, just a grim diagnosis. “Mom, I have bad news.” This was where the doctor would blurt out, you have cancer. Mandy pushed the speaker button.
“Well, I have news, too. We have to stay in Denver tonight. The pass is closed. It’s dumped twelve inches in the last four hours. Now, tell me your news?”
Mandy opened her mouth twice but nothing came out. “Mrs. Sawyer, this is Beau. When Mandy came home from the shop she found the pipes had burst, and the ground floor and basement are flooded.” The only sound that could be heard was the soaked drywall that drooped and dripped from the ceiling.
“What? But the taps were on? How could that happen?”
“I must have turned them off last night.” Mandy’s voice cracked as the words spilled from her quivering lips. “I’m so sorry, Mom. It’s all gone. Dad’s stuff is gone.”
“Mrs. Sawyer?” I waited for her to respond. “Mrs. Sawyer,” I said again. “I know this is a shock. It’s a shock for Mandy, too.”
It took a few minutes for her to respond. “Thanks, Beau, Mandy tends to overreact. I’m sure it’s not that bad. A little water can be dealt with.”
“Mom, it’s more than a little water.”
“I swear, Mandy, theatrics might have been a wiser career choice. Turn off the water so it doesn’t drip all over the carpet and set out a few fans. This happened once before. Call Tippy’s and have them come out.”
“We’ll take care of it. You don’t have to worry.” There was no use arguing over this with her. Tomorrow would come soon enough. Maybe the storm was a gift, a moment where Mandy and I could be together without any outside influences. And then I thought of Tommy. “Is Tommy okay?”
With the subject changed to Tommy, the conversation became lighter. Annie described their visit to Santa and without telling her what it was, she told Mandy that Tommy had found her a perfect gift. We said hello to the little munchkin and told him to have fun in the hotel. He was super excited about the pool and couldn’t wait to hang up.
In the center of the living room, I held my girl. “I love you, Mandy. This isn’t the end of the world. It’s a new chapter. Let’s call Tippy’s and get this under control.”
Tippy’s Restoration was quick to arrive and assess the damage. They did what they could in the interim, which wasn’t much. Old pipes that should have been replaced twenty years ago were the culprits but because Mandy cranked the taps closed last night, she bore the weight of the disaster.
“Let’s get your stuff. I have a special evening planned.”
She moved like an animal stuck in a tar pit. Once packed, she followed me to the car. This wasn’t how I’d pictured our night, but it would seem that nothing with Mandy and me went as planned.
The snow continued to fall, covering the ground like white carpet, creating a fresh slate—a new beginning. When I pulled into the garage, I killed the engine but didn’t exit the car.
“Mandy, let it go for tonight. Let’s relax and enjoy being together.” Worry lines creased her forehead, and I wondered how many kisses it would take to ease them.
She sniffled one last time and pulled h
er shoulders back. “I need wine and kisses.” She didn’t wait for me to open her door; she was out of the car and at the entrance in seconds.
“I’ve got both waiting for you.” My lips met hers in a timid kiss. I didn’t want to push her when her emotions were so raw. When she pressed her body to mine, I threw caution aside and ravaged her mouth on the threshold of our future. My heart hammered with excitement. Refusing to sever the bond of our lips, I fumbled with the door handle. When it opened, we fell into the cabin—me first, her on top of me, and we stayed there kissing until I heard her stomach protest in a growl. I broke the kiss and traced my fingers over her passion-glazed face until I reached her plump red lips. Soft and gentle—she hovered over me until I was certain my heart would explode. And then I felt it. A quiet calm blanketed me, and I knew I was home. Her lips. Her embrace. Her love. It was the refuge I’d been seeking for years.
“Let me ply you with wine and food.”
We climbed to our feet and walked into the kitchen where flowers of every variety sat in vases around the room.
She walked to each vase and touched the delicate petals of the flowers I’d chosen for her. “You didn’t need to go to so much trouble.” She pulled a daisy from one vase and tucked it behind her ear. “I’m a sure thing, you know.”
I poured her a glass of red wine and pressed her against the counter. “You were never a sure thing, Mandy. You were the best thing, and I’d wait forever for you.”
“Do you really want to wait?” She shimmied out of her T-shirt and stood in a lacy black bra and her jeans. Skimming her finger under my chin, she pulled me toward the fireplace. “Get the fire going.” Her shoes hit the floor one at a time while I fumbled with the matches. After several tries, the kindling I’d set up hours before ignited. The flame I’d built was little compared to the inferno that blazed inside me.
“Baby, I’ll be your fire. Come here.”
She stood and slinked toward me like a feline on the prowl. The fire heated my body while Mandy heated my soul. Her hands ran the length of my shirt, gripping the bottom and pulling it over my head. “God, you’re sexy.” Her voice took on that gravelly quality that made my dick twitch. “I’ve missed you for so long.” Her hand slid down the front of my jeans, coming to rest on my rock hard cock. “So long,” she purred as she rubbed my length under her palm.
“Fuck finesse. Baby, this is going to be quick, but I promise you the rest of the night. I’ll worship every inch of your body, I’ll make you forget everything, but right now, I have to have you.”
“Take me, Beau.” We tugged at each other’s jeans until they laid at our feet in a heap. “I love you, Beau.”
“Those are the sweetest words I’ve ever heard.” I laid her down in front of the fire and took in every inch of her—ripe and sweet like an apple I wanted to devour.
“And I thought you’d be more interested in the words fuck me.” She shimmied out of her panties and spread her legs.
I couldn’t get the damn condom on fast enough. If someone were looking in the window, they would have accused me of being a damn virgin. Once sheathed, I positioned myself between her legs. Her breasts were bountiful and rose to meet my face each time she took a breath.
“These are top of the chart.” When my calloused fingers skimmed her perfect, pink buds, she lifted her hips, and I plunged deep inside her. Fucking Heaven. I’d never been anywhere so perfect. My entire body shuddered as I slid in and out of her slick heat.
She whimpered and moaned as I made love to her. I promised fast, but I’d never go before her. A true gentleman always took care of his woman first.
She glistened with arousal, and the minute I massaged her sweet little bundle, she tensed and exploded. Shuddering below my body, she gripped my arms and rode out her orgasm while I searched for mine in the perfect rhythm of her hips. She called out my name just as I found paradise.
Her heart beat in tempo with mine. I was the music and she was the voice. There was no hit song if either element was missing. We were the perfect duet.
Minutes later, I had her soaking in a bubble bath, sipping wine while I prepared her dinner. I was pulling out all the stops to convince her to say yes. My Mandy deserved a perfect life, and I wanted to show her what it would look like with me.
Wrapped in a towel, she walked into the rustic kitchen and picked at the salad on the butcher-block counter. In the oven, cooked the one thing I knew how to prepare. It was a no fuss chicken breast flavored with salt, pepper, and love.
Chapter 19
Mandy
Snow the size of cotton balls fell from the cloudy sky, but I was toasty and warm wrapped in Beau’s arms. We made love all night long, trying to make up for our years apart. He made me forget everything for a night, but as the day dawned, so did the realization that I’d have to face my mom.
“That’s hours away. Stop worrying.” He pulled me on top of his body where he convinced me that the morning was better spent screaming his name.
“What would you think of me adopting Tommy?” His wet hair dripped on his shoulders. I followed the stream down his chiseled chest to the towel wrapped around his waist. Barefoot and almost naked, superstar Beau Tinsel was making me scrambled eggs and talking about adopting my son.
Dressed in an old robe I found in the closet, I hopped up onto the counter and watched him whip the eggs into submission. “Umm…I haven’t given it any thought. I haven’t even decided to come to California. I haven’t traveled anywhere past today in my mind.”
“Well, think about it. I’d love to make you both Tinsels.”
“Beau Tinsel, if that’s a proposal, you’re going to have to do better.”
“Oh, I’ll do better. Right now, I’m planting a seed and hoping it takes root in your heart.” I watched the hands that had explored my entire body grip the whisk. I knew the power in his fingers. I knew the softness of his palms.
“My heart seems to be fertile ground for you.”
He reached for the salt that sat on the counter and grabbed a handful of my ass in the process. “I can’t get enough of you.” He poured the salted egg mixture in the frying pan. We watched it bubble and sizzle while he stirred.
“I can cook, you know. I did go to years of culinary school, and I’m pretty sure I mastered scrambled eggs.”
He removed the pan from the hot burner and set it aside before he turned to me. Hot hands slid up my bare thighs and slipped under the cotton robe. “This is a selfish endeavor. I want to feed you so I can work you out again.” With purpose, he spread my legs and buried his face into the slick heat he created by just existing. “Dessert first.” His tongue trailed over my tender flesh, soothing the ache he’d created from hours of lovemaking. His lips were like a magic elixir. Everywhere they touched, I was renewed.
“Oh. Yes.” The words escaped without thought as I leaned against the cabinet and let him consume me. Hot tongue. Long strokes. Heavenly sucking. It brought me to that quivering, thigh-shaking place faster than I could have imagined. His wet hair felt good between my fingers as I held on to him and soared. The intensity of my climax, or maybe the unrestrained emotion I felt at being back with Beau, squeezed the air from my lungs. He pulled me to the edge of the counter and slid himself inside of me for a moment.
“Baby, we need to get you on birth control. This feels too good to stop.”
I heeled his hips and pulled him back into my warmth. “Don’t stop.”
“But—” His chest heaved, and his hips shook with each soft stroke.
“I’m on the pill. Have been since Tommy was born. What about you? Do you practice safe sex?” It was a little late to ask now that he was buried balls-deep inside me.
“Always, until now. It’s a good thing you’re my forever love because you’re a bad influence.” He ground his hips into me. There was nothing left to come between us. Stroke after stroke, I watched his beautiful face. His jaw clenched with determination while his sapphire eyes looked at me with love. When he called ou
t my name, it was the most beautiful melody; a song I could listen to forever. His head rested on my breasts as he caught his breath. “I love you, Mandy. I always have, and I always will.”
Refusing to break our bond, he turned and grabbed the pan from behind him. On the counter with Beau still buried inside me, he nourished my soul with his words and my body with scrambled eggs.
With our hunger sated for the time being, we showered again and dressed. Mom’s morning message said they’d be back at three. Guilt gnawed inside my gut.
I leaned against Beau, and watched the snow drip from the trees. The once-heavy branches were now barren, stripped of the snow that clung to them. Tiny rivers flowed into the frozen lake while several fishermen took their chances on the water.
“I’ll stay with you and your mom. We can figure it all out together.” Beau’s love and caring would give me the strength to get through this. However, he didn’t need to protect me from my mother. She would pile on the guilt, and then she would take something away from me as punishment. Often, I’d have no clue what that was until it was already gone. It was her way.
“Instead of hanging out with me at Mom’s house, can you take Tommy somewhere?” The last thing I needed was for Tommy to get underfoot.
“I’d love to take him somewhere. Did you have a place in mind?”
I had no idea. I was already sifting through wet cardboard boxes and old memories in my mind. “No, just do some boy things. He’d love that, but don’t mention California. I want to do that together.” I leaned against his body and let out a sigh. Last night was perfect. This morning was perfect. I had a feeling that the afternoon would be everything but.
After a silent goodbye to the cabin, Beau opened the door, and helped me into the passenger seat. His soft kiss fortified me. This afternoon would be a gauntlet of emotions. Mom walked through her life like a wound that hadn’t healed—a scab that was constantly being picked—and everything that was destroyed by the water had been her Band-Aid.
